Complete RV Interior Rebuild Guide: Mold Removal & Tips

The Rundown

Your full rebuild plan for the 2001 Fleetwood Discovery is ambitious but absolutely doable, and you've clearly done your homework with 50 hours of research. The mold discovery is unfortunate but gives you the perfect opportunity to upgrade everything properly. Your approach of complete demolition down to the frame, thorough mold treatment, and rebuilding with better materials is exactly the right call. The combination of porcelain tile flooring with epoxy grout, 2-inch foam insulation, and pine shiplap walls will create a much more durable and attractive interior than the original particleboard construction. Your material choices from Seats4less, Amazon, and Home Depot show good planning for mixing quality with budget considerations.

The 2001 Discovery has a wood frame structure that will handle your renovations well, but you'll want to pay special attention to the original electrical and plumbing routing when you strip everything out. Document everything with photos before removal, especially where wires and water lines run through the frame. The original slide-out mechanisms (if equipped) will need careful consideration during your rebuild to maintain proper weight distribution and clearances.

Why It Happens

Mold in RVs typically develops due to the combination of poor ventilation, thermal bridging, and moisture intrusion that's common in older units like your 2001 Discovery. The original thin wall construction with minimal insulation creates condensation points where warm interior air meets cold exterior surfaces. Fleetwood's construction methods from that era often used stapled plastic vapor barriers that can fail over time, allowing moisture to penetrate the wall cavities.

The particleboard subflooring and wall panels used in 2001 are particularly susceptible to mold when moisture is present, as they provide an excellent food source for mold growth. Roof leaks, window seal failures, or even normal humidity from cooking and showering can create the conditions for widespread mold growth once it starts. Your decision to remove everything and start fresh addresses the root cause rather than just treating the symptoms.

Gather These Items

For the mold remediation phase, you'll need a quality mold killer like Concrobium Mold Control or Benefect Botanical Decon 30, along with a pump sprayer for thorough application. Get proper PPE including N95 or P100 respirators, disposable coveralls, and nitrile gloves. You'll need plastic sheeting and tape to contain work areas during demolition.

For the rebuild, your material list should include construction adhesive like Sikaflex 221 for bonding foam insulation to the frame, and appropriate screws for securing your new framing. For the porcelain tile installation, get a high-quality flexible tile adhesive like Mapei Kerabond with Keralastic additive, and make sure your leveling sheets are suitable for RV flex. Your 2-inch foam insulation choice is excellent - consider Polyiso boards with foil facing for the best R-value per inch. For electrical work, stock up on marine-grade wire nuts and waterproof junction boxes since RV wiring sees more vibration and moisture than house wiring.

The Fix

Start your demolition systematically, removing interior items first, then appliances, cabinets, and finally the wall and ceiling panels. Before beginning demolition, disconnect shore power and turn off the main breaker, and disconnect the battery to ensure safety around both 12V DC and 120V AC systems. Take extensive photos and label everything as you go - you'll thank yourself later when reconnecting utilities. Once stripped to the frame, clean all metal surfaces with a wire brush and treat any corrosion with a product like SEM Metal Prep. Apply your mold treatment generously to all surfaces, paying special attention to any wood framing members or areas where moisture intrusion occurred.

Install your electrical and plumbing rough-ins first, using marine-grade components throughout. For the insulation installation, cut your foam boards to fit snugly between frame members and seal all joints with foil tape or spray foam. Your R-12 to R-13 rating is a huge improvement over the original R-5 to R-7 insulation. When installing the pine shiplap walls, predrill all screw holes to prevent splitting and use stainless steel screws to avoid corrosion. For your porcelain tile floor, ensure your subfloor is absolutely level and solid - any flex will crack the grout joints over time.

The window film installation should be done after all construction dust has settled. Clean the glass thoroughly with ammonia-free cleaner before applying the Madico film. Work slowly and use plenty of slip solution to avoid bubbles. Your custom kitchen cabinets will need to be secured to both the floor and walls with appropriate fasteners for the aluminum frame construction.

Know Your Limits

While your DIY approach is admirable, there are several areas where professional help might be wise, especially given you're living in the RV during this process. Electrical work should be inspected by someone familiar with RV systems, particularly the 12V DC circuits and inverter connections. The propane system for your new cooktop will require pressure testing and proper ventilation - this is not an area for shortcuts. If your Discovery has a slide-out, the rebuilt interior weight distribution could affect the mechanism's operation and may require professional adjustment.

The biggest challenge will be managing a full rebuild while full-timing with your family. Consider renting a small travel trailer or staying in a long-term RV park with cabins during the most intensive phases. The mold remediation phase especially requires the RV to be unoccupied for several days while treatments work and off-gas. Do not occupy the RV during active mold remediation as this poses serious health risks. Budget at least 6-8 months for this scope of work, and expect to discover additional issues once you get into the walls. Having a contingency fund of 30-40% above your planned budget is realistic for a project of this scope. Document everything for insurance purposes and potential resale value - a properly executed full rebuild can significantly increase your Discovery's value and make it much more comfortable for full-time living.